Letters to Myself: Entry Sixteen
Prompt: Today is my birthday, let’s reflect.
I know this reflection is coming a few days after my birthday, but the timing feels right. Birthdays have a way of reminding us that the younger years slip by quickly, yet they’re also a chance to pause, appreciate the present, and look ahead with gratitude.
Answer to the prompt:
Today is September 22. The first day of fall and my birthday. I’m 28 years old and still kicking.
Birthdays always bring reflection, but this one feels different. Each new year is a reminder that time keeps moving, my body is changing, and nothing lasts forever. My dad put it in perspective for me recently: these are some of the last years where my body will “play nice” before aging starts to really show up. At first that thought scared me, but now I see it as motivation. Being human means our time is limited, but it also means we get the gift of experience. And that’s exactly what I want: to experience as much of life as I can while I’m here.
Travel, meeting new people, trying new things, listening to perspectives far different from my own. That’s the life I want to live. Each birthday reminds me that I don’t know how many I’ll get, so why not go for it?
This year I celebrated quietly. I stayed home, enjoyed the peace, and soaked in the stillness of the season change. And honestly, it felt right. Birthdays don’t always have to be loud or crowded. Sometimes they’re best spent grounding yourself, remembering what you’re grateful for, and letting the love of family and friends reach you in texts, calls, or even a simple “happy birthday.”
I think that’s what makes birthdays so meaningful: they’re reminders that people care. That people are rooting for you. Even when doubts creep in, and they always do, birthdays bring that gentle reassurance that you matter, that others want to see you keep going.
If I ever have children, I would want to pass this on to them: the joy of making someone’s day special, of showing how much one day can mean. But I also want to carry this mindset into everyday life. What if we lived like every day was our birthday? What if we treated each morning as a reason to celebrate, to practice gratitude, to show up with excitement and optimism?
That’s how I want to live this next year. One day at a time. One celebration at a time. With hope, gratitude, and a little humor too.
So here’s to 28. Happy birthday to me. I’m still here, still growing, still kicking. (Hopefully my back doesn’t give out tomorrow.)
This post is part of my "Letters to Myself" series — a weekly free-write blog where I explore personal growth, curiosity, and healing through simple prompts. Sometimes reflective, sometimes fun, but always real. Thank you for being here.
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Photo by Kyle Gare
